You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.

What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.

The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.

When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation.

You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.

I know that all these seem self evident… but… sometimes you can’t see the forrest for the trees…

2 Responses to Political Science 101

1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.
True but when the wealthy misuse their power to control the legislation and the markets to their benefit it doesn’t leave much for anyone else.
2. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.
i.e. Wall St. Banksters? Corporate psychopaths?
3. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.
Also true but look at it this way. Everyone benefits from a well maintained transportation system, functional water and sewage systems, clean air, an honest and effective police force, an open and progressive education system, a health care system that doesn’t require one to go bankrupt to receive care, a military based on the idea that all citizens have a responsibility to serve their country, legislators and judges who put aside their ideology to work for the benefit of all the people. If you benefit more than the next guy you should pay more, not less through the breaks that your paid lobbyists and bought congress critters provide you.
4. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation.
If you believe that one I have a bridge for sale, interested? I don’t know very many people who would rather sit on their asses than have a decent fairly paid job. There will always be a few but by and large everyone wants to work, everyone enjoys the dignity that comes with work that is satisfying and provides a service to others. For the last 30 years corporate America has willfully destroyed America’s industrial base, destroyed the livelihoods of millions, stolen pension plans, reduced wages and moved their production offshore all in the name of maximum return on investment. This is how they have to operate by law. There is something very wrong with this model and yet no one is allowed to question it without being tarred a “socialist”, a “communist”, a “lefty” when all they truly are, is people with ethics who actually believe the words of the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, who have a conscience and take the time to think about what is going on around them. WE have been beggared and prostituted by corporate interests and the very evil men who control those interests. Who have worked mightily to take away our rights, to destroy our nation all in the name of profit, their profit.
5. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.
Yes you can. It’s called micro credit, and its pay back ratio is the envy of every commercial bank in the world. You also can’t take it with you last time I checked and it’s a lot better to work to improve everyone’s life than it is to selfishly try to control everything. We have lived through a happy accident of time where energy has been cheap, a well educated population has prospered and we have not suffered the ravages of total war that has destroyed Europe, East Asia and Russia in the twentieth century. Which left the U.S. in the cat bird seat. Those days are all gone, behind us and a lot of the blame lies at the feet of those whose short term interests have jeopardized the long term prospects of the rest of us. I hate these little seemingly “common sense” homilies which are really the very clever statements of small minded individuals who believe that they have “made” their fortunes all by themselves. No one ever has. It takes the hard work and experience of a multitude to succeed and when the profits all flow to the top everyone suffers. When that select group of the selfish refuse to pay their fair share to a fair and democratic government then services dry up, roads crumble, corruption flourishes and tyrants come to the fore.
This little set of sentences is a disservice to your self, your neighbors and your country. It sounds true but it is not. Take it down before you infect anyone else with it.